Block-press.



W. H. SHORTELL.

BLOCK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED Min/21.1914.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919..

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BLOCK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI. I914.

Patented J an. 14, 1919.

W. H. SHORTELL.

BLOCK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. 1914.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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BLOCK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1914.

Patented J an. 14, 1919.

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W. H. SHORTELL.

BLOCK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 19M.

Patented J an. 14, 1919.

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WILLIAM SHORTELL, or YONKERS, NEW YORK, Assronon 'ro HARLEM CONTRACTING GOMIPALTY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BLOCK-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

Application filed May 21, 1914. Serial No. 840,088.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SHORTELL,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Yonkers, county of Westchester, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Block-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a press which is articularly intended for use in the manufacture of asphalt or other blocks, tiles and the like;

The principal objects of the invention are to improve the construction, increase the efliciencyand decrease the expense attending the manufacture, operation and upkeep of such presses.

The problem of designing a press for the manufacture of asphalt blocks is one which is attended with considerable difficulty, owing to the character of the material to be acted upon, and the necessity for high speed, high power and high efliciency under conditions of practically continuous operation amidst surroundings where cleanliness is difficult if not impossible to obtain.

It has been proposed heretofore to manufacture asphalt blocks by means of a plunger press havlng a press head and feeding means connected with the press head, both the press head and the feeding means being movable laterally with relation to the plunger. This type of press, while efiicient in its way, I conceive to be wrong in principle, in that a movable press head or abutment cannot be so well adapted to Withstand strains during the pressing operation, as it should be, and

also because of the multiplicity of operations necessary in forming a block, and of the general wear and strain on the machine during operation. a

The machine of the present invention embodies a press head which is fixed against lateral movement relatively to the plunger, and is thus strong and durable, and in which the multiplicity of operations is reduced by providing means for simultaneously filling one mold which has been previously exposed for inspecti0n, pressing a second mold which has been prevlously filled, ejecting a third mold which has been previously pressed, and exposing for inspection the interior of a fourth mold which has been previously ejected.

The invention resides in many other comblnations and arrangements of parts and in details of construction as hereinafter descnbed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of, and as indicated by the variations 1n, the following claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification,

Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively side and plan views of the complete press foreshortened by breaking a portion from the center thereof.

- Fig. 3 is an end view of the press looking in the direction of the arrow A shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of the press taken on line B B of Fig. 2, lookof Fig. 2 looking in the direction of' the arrows.

Fig. 6 shows a detail plan view of the supporting plates for the plungers. I

The press comprises five distinct parts all of which are carried by the frame of the machine, namely,

First.The feeding or filling mechanism constructed to hold therein a mixture or plastic composition.

Second-The mechanism for molding or shaping and compressing blocks from the mixture or plastic composition, which mechanism comprises a movable molding plate or member having molding holes, openings or cavities therein into which the mixture or plastic composition from the feeding or filling mechanism is forced and which movable plate or member segregates that portion of the mixture or composition in the molding holes from that in the feeding or filling mechanism by a movement of the plate or member relative thereto; said molding and compressing mechanism also comprising as elements thereof a stationary bulkhead or resisting member located above the movable plate, vertically movable pressing members which are slidably mounted in the holes in the movable block and capable of being forced upward whereby the material in the molding holes can be compressed between the stationary bulkhead and one of the vertically slidable pressing members and means for forcing the desired slidable member upward to carry out the compressing actlon;

I Third-The ejecting mechanism which is arranged to cause an upward movement at the proper time of each of the sliding memb'ers sufiicient to eject from the molding Fifth.The driving or operatlng mecha nism which in the particular embodiment shown has a common vertical drivmg shaft 41 for causing the movement of the plate,

' the operation of the ejecting mechanism, the

operation of the discharging mechanism and for controlling the operation of the forcing means for pressing upward at the proper time one of the sliding members.

The means, for forcing the sliding member upward to carry out the compressing action comprises the vertical hydraulic jack or ram having the vertically moving plunger which isforced upward by the inward movement of a horizontal hydraulic ram connected to a steam or elastic fluid operated piston in a cylinder. 1

The feeding or filling mechanism comprises a vertical standpipe 1 provided with a hopper at its upper end and a neck portion 2 at its lower end. The standpipe is steam jacketed as shown at 3 so that the material therein can be maintained hot if it is of such character that it is advantageous that it be in a heated condition while being worked. This standpipe is generally rectangular in cross section but this feature is often dependent upon the contour of the article which is to be formed. The cross sectional area of the opening in the standpipe gradually increases as the material passes downward in order'to prevent a sticking of the material to the sides and'a clogging of the material therein. The height of the standpipe is sufficient to cause a partial compression of the material at the bottom by the weight of the material therein.

Below and cooperatively related with the neck end of the standpipe is rotatable molding plate or movable member 4 having four molding holes or openings 43 therein indicated in plan in-Fig. 2 and shown more clearly in Figs. 4: and 5 which are slightly larger than'the neck end of the standpipe and arranged so as to receive the material from the standpipe when in alinement there-- with. The walls which define these molding holes or openings serve as means for shaping the sides of the article to be formed therein. In each of the holes there istslidably mounted a vertically movable pressing member 5 ing between the wedges.- At the upper end which when supported in position under, the

standpipe serves, as a means to regulate the amount of material into the mold cavities or holes 4 The vertically movable slidable member 5 is supported, when in the position above referred to; by the horizontal sup porting plate 6 which is vertically adjustable by the wedges 7 carried by the upper leaves of the yielding spring means 8 secured to the frame of the machine. The position of the wedges is under the control of the operator by means of the lever 9 fulcrumed on the frame at 9, the lower end of which leveris connected to the wedge by means of a link 10 and a bar 10 extend of the lever there is provided a spring catch 11 which engages the notch segment 12 carried by the frame and this serves as a means for holding the wedge in any desired position. The object in moving the wedges is to elevate or lower the feed plate, to allow a greater or lesser amount of material to enter the mold, thereby producing the required thickness of compressed block. 963 Should it be desired to change the thickness beyond the range of the wedges, it can be quickly and easily accomplished by putting on a plate of different thickness.

By turning the molding plate or member {L a quarter of a revolution one of the moldmg holes and the vertically movable plun 'ger therein passes from the initial or first position in alinement with the standpipe to the second or compressing position which is below the stationary bulkhead or resisting member 13 carried by the bolts 13 secured to the frame. During this movement the vertical movable sliding member 5 has passed from the supporting plate 6 to the plate 14:, the top of which when in its lowest position is slightly below the top of the plate 6 and these plates serve as means to support the vertically movable sliding member in position in the hole during the entire movement. The plate 14 is carried by the upper end of a Vertical movable plunger 15 which can force it upward sufiicient to cause a proper compression of the material in the molding holes between the vertical movable member which occupies its second position and the resisting member 13. It will be observed that the resisting member 13 is provided with a hardened piece 13 which forms the top of the mold and this 12@ iscapable of being changed when worn or replaced by another plate ifdesired.

After the compressing operation has been carried out the molding plate or member is given another quarter of a turn so that the 126 molding hole above referred to passes from its second or the position in which the compressing action is carried out to its third position or the position which it occupies when the work is being ejected therefrom. D

i In passing from the second to the third poraising the bloc: 16 to the position shown in Fig. 5 it will be observed that the sliding member 5 will be raised until it is flush with the top of the rotatable plate or molding-block and in this manner the work is ejected from the molding hole therein. As soon as the ejecting operation is finished the discharging arm 18 (see Figs. 2 and 5) passes over the plate and sweeps, the work or article which has been formed, from the molding plate to a conveyer 19, The mold block is now given another quarter of a revolution-so that the moldin hole 0r cavity in question with the vertically movable member therein passes to a fourth position. During this movement the vertical sliding member 5 while still in the raised position slides from the block 16 to the fixed supporting plate 20 (see Figs. 3 and 6) andin the fourth position the vertical movable member can be inspected and prepared for the subsequent series of operations.

In order to repeat the above described cycle of operations the molding plate is given another quarter of a revolution which takes the molding hole with the vertically movable member 5 therein from the fourth or inspecting position to the first or initial position and in passing from the fourth to the first position it will be noted that the vertical slidable member is dropped from the supporting plate 20 to the adjustable supporting plate 6 previously described and it is to ease the shock of the dropping f the slidable member upon the adjustable supporting plate that the spring or yielding means has been provided. i

The vertically movable plunger 15 previously referred to as a means to cause the compressing action of the work to be effected is a part of the vertical hydraulic or fluid operated jack 21 the cylinder 22 of which is carried by the frame. The lower portion of the plunger is channeled at 23 (see Figs. 4 and 5) to permit the passage thereunder of the horizontal ram 24 whose inward movement effects the upward pressing movement of the plunger 15. The cylinder 22 isa-lso provided with a projection 22 having a horizontal bore for the horizontal ram to enter in order to increase the effective lift or compressing movement of the plunger 15 over that which would be obtained if the horizontal ram could travel a distance equal only to the interior diameter of the cylinder. The horizontal bore of the jack cylinder 22 is slightly larger than the dlameter of the horizontal ram and has a longitudinal groove 25 through which the liquid asses to the main or vertical ram bore, w en displaced by the horizontal ram. Th1s groove has a gate 26 Fig. .1 controlled or adjusted from the outside for the purpose of regulating the speed of the horizontal forward movement of the horizontal ram.

The outer end of the ram 24 is connected by means of the rod 28 to the piston 29 in the steam or elastic fluid cylinder 30. This cylinder is so constructed that when the piston is at the extreme end of the backward stroke as shown in Fi 1 the main passage 31 will be blocked y the piston.

Leading from the main passage 31 is the bypass 31, which leads to the rear of the piston. This bypass is provided with the plug cook or valve 31 for throttling the eX- -.haust at the termination of the backward stroke and in this way regulating the cush- 1on1ng effect upon the piston. This bypass 31 is in turn bypassed by bypass 31 which has a check valve for'the purpose of admitting steam freely for the forward movement of the'piston and checking it on the return. The termination of the forward stroke of the piston and horizontal ram is controlled in two ways, viz., by the valve 26 which regulates as above described the flow of fluid in the horizontal bore of the cylinder projections 22 and by the arrangement of ports and valves presently to be described.

The cylinder is provided with a second mainpassage 32 which has a check valve 32 to permit-a free and easy exhaust on the forward stroke until the forward port 32 is covered by the piston. Communicating with the space between the cylinder head and the piston at the extremity of the forward stroke on the one hand and the main passage 32 between the check valve 32 and the exhaust discharge end of the other is the bypass 32 provided with the plug cook or valve 32 fol-regulating the cushioning effect on the forward stroke of the piston.

This valve 32 also serve as a means for reg-- nlating the starting of the piston on its re- 0nd means for cushioning the piston and horizontal ram near the termination of their rearward movement.

Supported on the frame of the machine by the bracket 36 is the lever 37 the lower end of which i positioned so as to be engaged by the plate 35 near the termination of the forward stroke of the piston, the upper end of which lever is adapted to engage a plate 38 carried by the rod 39 which operates the valve 40 of the cylinder 30. It Wlll therefore be observed that the rearward -n ovementf of the piston'i automatically effected by the engagement of the plate 35 with the lever 37 through the chain of mechanism above described should the horizontal ram travel too far forward.-

It will be observed that the vertical driving shaft 41 is carried in bearings, the upper one being secured to the stationary resistlng member or bulkhead and the lower one being secured to the frame or the cylinder or the vertical hydraulic jack '21. This shaft is itself driven by means of the beveled gears 42 and 43 the latter of which is fastened in lace on the horizontal shaft 44 carrying the driving pulley 45.

There is secured to the vertical driving shaft between the bearings a member 46 which-serves as a means to cause a partial rotation of the molding plate for each revolution of the shaft. It will be observed that the molding plate is hollowed out or concave at four places 4 equally spaced apart and the contour of which" when adjacent to the vertical shaft 41 is R distance from the axis of said shaft (see Fig. 2). The molding plate is also provided with four sets of spaced angle iron slideways 4 in which a roller 46 carried by a crank 46 of the member 46 travels during a partial revolution of the vertical shaft. The member 46 is also cut out along the line 46 to provide room for the convex portions 4 of the molding plate while the roller 46 carried by the crank 46 is in engagement with the slide-ways on the rotatable member. The member 46 is also provided with a circular portion 46 having a radius R adapted to fit the cutout portions 4 of the molding plate 4 when the roller 46 is out of engagement with the slide-ways carried by the molding plate. The construction above described is in reality a Swiss or Geneva gear and serves as an intermittent means for causing a quarter turn of said plate and for holding the molding plate in the desired positions for each revolution of the vertical shaft. It will be observed that the construction above described also causes the molding plate to be gradually started, to travel the fastest at the middle of its movement and to be gradually stopped at the termination of its movement thereby preventing any material shocks.

At the upper end of the shaft 41 there 'is secured a grooved cylindrical cam 47 for operating the ejecting mechanism through the following chain of parts, namely, the lever 48 fulcrumed to the stationary bulkhead or resisting member by means of the link connection 49 and provided at one end with a roller in the cam groove. The other end of the lever has a pivotal connection to the upper end of a vertical movable rod 50 slid-j ably .mounted in a bearing carried by the stationary resisting member as is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The lower endof the vertically movable rod is pivotally connected to the lever 17. One end of the lever supports the block 16, the vertical movement of which causes the ejecting of the work from the mold, and the other end is connected to the frame of the machine by means of the link 51- slidable member held in its normal position by the spring 57. The longitudinally slid-' able member is caused to be moved from its normal position by the bell crank member '58 whose movement from normal position is effected by the engagement of the pin member 59 carried on the member 46. It will therefore be apparent that for each revolution of the shaft 41 the discharging arm 18 will be swung over the molding plate by the mechanism just described and will sweep therefrom the work or block which has previously been ejected. a

The lower end of the shaft 41 carries a cam 60 which operates the valve of the cylinder 30 due to engagement therewith of a roller carried on a slide 61 connected to the valve spindle 39. The cam 60 has three distinctportions namely one portion which moves the valve to its'first position to cause the forward movement of the piston and ram and which permits the valve to travel in this position for a partial revolution of the shaft 41; another portion which moves the valve from the first to its second position tocause the return movement of the'piston and ram and which permits the valve to remain in the latter position for a part of the return stroke and while the. shaft is rotating, and another portion which moves the valve to a position in which all the main passages to the cylinder will be closed.

The parts of the press are so arranged that while the vertical shaft 41 is making one revolution the molding plate will first be given a quarter of a revolution. Then after the rotatable plate has come to rest, and during the subsequent movement of the shaft 41, one of the mold cavities is filled, the steam valve or the valve 40 is moved to let steam or the elastic fluid into the cylinder whereby the compressing operation is effected in the mold occupying its second position, the ejecting mechanism is operated to force'the workpiece from the mold occupying its thirdposition and as soon as this is done the discharging mechanism operates to sweep or remove the ejected workpiece from the rotatable plate to the conveyer.

It is obvious that a small pump might be connected to the main hydraulic jack cylinder in order to supply the liquld necessary to compensate for leakage or for any other reason or this amount of liquid might be regulated by direct connect-ion to a high pressure supply in any well known manner.

It is obvious that various forms and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A block forming press comprising, in combination, a bulkhead, a turret suspended from said bulkhead, and a plurality of bulkhead supporting columns exterior to said turret.

2..A press comprising, in combination, 'a rotatable turret comprismg molds and plungers; 'an abutment above said turret; compressing instrumentalities for imparting compressive movement to said mold plungers as each is presented in pressing position; two columns supporting said pressure-receiving abutment and located exterior to said turret and substantially in line with the mold located in pressing position.

3. A press comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret comprising molds and plungers; an abutment above said turret; compressing instrumentalities for imparting compressive movement to said mold plungers as each is presented in pressing positlon; two columns supporting said pressure-receiving abutment and located. exterior to said turret and substantially in line with and equidistant from the mold located in pressing position.

4. A press comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret comprising molds and plungers; an abutment above said turret; compressing instrumentalities for imparting compressive movement to said mold plungers as each is presented in pressing position; two columns supporting said pressure-receiving abutment and located exterior to said turret and substantially in line with the mold located in pressing position, said turret being suspended from said pressurereceiving abutment and supported by said exterior columns.

5. A press comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret comprising molds and plungers; an abutment above said turret; compressing instrumentalities for imparting compressive movement to said mold plungers as each is presented in pressing position; two columns supporting said pressure-receiving abutment and located exterior to said turret and substantially in line with the mold located in pressing position, said mold filling means being carried by said pressurereceiving abutment at one side thereof.

6. A press comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret comprising molds and plungers; an abutment above said turret; compressing instrumentalities for imparting compressive movement to said mold plungers as each is presented in pressing position; two columns supporting said pressure-receiving abutment and located exterior to said turret and substantially in line with the mold located in pressing position, mold filling means carried by said pressure-receivin abutment at one side thereof, and mol emptying mechanism operatively positioned opposite said mold filling mechanism, said turret presenting each mold successively and progressively to the mold filling, pressing and mold emptying instrumentalities.

7.A press comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret, an abutment above said turret, columns exterior to said turret supporting said abutment, and a bearing on one side of said abutment on which said turret is suspended below said abutment.

This specification signed and witnessed this 2nd day of March, A. D., 1911.

WILLIAM H. SHORTELL.

Signed in the presence of- MAURICE FEA'rnERsoN, EDWIN A. PACKARD. 

